Customer Reviews

Dive Deep

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

By critical consent "Dive Deep" is now regarded as Morcheeba's best runner-up album to "Big Calm" and DD runs that early classic very close as an all-time great play-it-over-and-over listening experience.

The title "Dive Deep" comes from the Godfrey brothers' concern about the progressive ecological degradation of the planet's marine environment, but in a fine twist is also a reference to the depths explored through the eclectic musical experimentation evident on the album.

The split with Skye left a hole in the band not satisfyingly filled by Daisy Martey but which, remarkably, is filled here with a rich diversity of different vocalists including some male voices (and one instrumental number). It all gels together beautifully and the vocal smorgasbord brings a variety which reveals Morcheeba at their quirky and innovative best. What stands out is the mature, exemplary songwriting.

The opener, "Enjoy the Ride" sung by Judy Tzuke, is a corker. Tzuke sounds, weirdly, almost indistinguishable from Skye bringing a similar melodious style to a great song you can listen to over and over. Tzuke also sings a second track, "Blue Chair", one of the album's highlights.

Norwegian singer/songwriter Thomas Dybdahl makes a major contribution to the album, contributing three tracks: "Riverbed", "Sleep on it Tonight" and the long soulful closer, "Washed Away" and his gravitas goes some way to defining the album's style. He's a fine choice, the perfect match for the talented Godfreys. A song in French, "Au Dela" sung by Manda Zamolo, works very well too and brings a taste of world-music exotica into the mix.

The main highlight however is track four, "Run Honey Run", an instant minor-key classic thanks to the unexpectedly beautiful, soulful vocal delivered by Bradley Burgess. It's almost worth buying the album just for this little gem.

Some music hits the scene with a sensational bang, but time erodes its impact and it skulks off into obscurity (anyone still listening to "Never Mind the Bollocks..."?). The reputation of other albums however gets stronger over time, attracts new audiences and goes from strength to strength. "Dive Deep" is in the second category. After almost two years it's become evident that "Dive Deep" has real depth and rewards repeated listening. Is this music-for-all-seasons destined perhaps for greatness? Time will tell.

Interestingly, the Morcheeba website is announcing their new album "Blood Like Lemonade" to be released June 2010 "featuring Skye". Blood, it seems, runs not just thicker than water but thicker than lemonade too.

There is some great music here. It is unlike any of their previous work and that certainly threw some people. However, I love most of this music. Really. Love. There are a few rap songs that didn't make it to the ipod, but the others are fantastic!

Instead of wanting more of the old Morcheeba, I want more of the new Morcheeba!

Who Can You Trust was an amazing album of vibe and depth. After that, we discovered on the following way too many albums that Skye's limited range wears thin and she has about 10 melodies to choose from and mix and match. Big Calm was the mainstream version of WCYT and I lost interest. BUT, by chance, this album dropped into my lap and it's everything Morcheeba could be with unlimited power and resources. For me, it's almost like a Massive Attack comeback album, after their wildly uneven 100th Window (who knew Sinead could sound that bad?). The variety of vocalists is one of this album's best aspects. Judie Tzuke's singing is a revelation. I immediately sourced some of her recent material and love it. I have no idea how Morcheeba survived after the non-vocal singer on Antidote. I'm thankful they did, woke up, and moved on.

Owning and loving both Who Can You Trust? and Big Calm and having listened to Charango I was turned off by the many negative reviews for this CD.

Finally biting the bullet and buying this after hearing Gained the World and Enjoy the Ride I was astonished. Are all the negative reviews put out by fair weather fans?

This CD is different, having no clear single flavor as the others have it is nonetheless an excellent addition to my collection and to all those who are turned away by negative reviews I recommend you try this CD if you are more then a passing fan. You wont be disappointed.

It is fully understandable that purists will insist the album is lacking some sort of spirit as there is no continuity vocal-wise and the album therefore appears like a picture made of imperfectly matching puzzle pieces and while I can agree that every vocalist puts a bit of his own spirit to a song I cannot ignore the ever present platform that is Morcheeba, recognizable from miles away, despite the lack of their soft-breathy voiced singer, Skye Edwards.

Please, tell me 'Enjoy the ride', for instance, isn't a spectacular, catchy, well executed song, that 'Au Dela' doesn't touch you a little, or that you don't recognize it as belonging to Morcheeba, or that the vocal singing is any worse than that of Skye Edwards - in my opinion, it's just different, as is the whole album. Call it a scatter gun angle, despair, or the new approach, but regardless of what you call it, it works, and it sounds great. I fail to understand why one would lament having purchased this album, unless of course, you like to overanalyse, get technical, snobby and puristic in regard to Morcheeba not settling for one particular vocalist. The songs on this album are catchy, pretty typically Morcheeba, and the whole album is an unboring, pleasant journey with lots of sights to see. So what more can you want? Oh yes, the next one.

I only like half the tracks on this album. I'm not used to male voices on Morcheeba CDs and I don't like it.

I didn't read the reviews, and was surprised by the change in vocalist on this album. My bad, I admit. While this is a good album, it wasn't what I was looking for, which was another Morcheeba album like Big Calm or Fragments.

I would suggest that if you want to feel the new direction the band has gone in, or if the older sound just didn't grab you, try this. Even if you liked the older stuff, try this. Just don't turn it on expecting the same sound as before, because then you'll be disappointed. It's good, but it isn't the same, and the same is what I was looking for.

This cd is perfect for all occasions. With the good mix of songs you will not grow tired of the cd.

Outstanding ~ their best work to date.
Quality Trumps Everything

Right up there with the lastest work from Goldfrapp, Supreme Beings Of Leisure, Jack Johnson and Faithless.


BEST SONGS
1. Enjoy The Ride
2. Riverbed
3. Thumbnails
4. Au De La
5. Blue Chair
6. Gained The World

Definitely a very good mix of different music styles with plenty to enjoy for real music-lovers.